Previous Class – This Class –
1. GW quality 1. Mines on maps
2. GW 2. Intro to RS
Contamination
3. Why study RS?
3. GW
Remediation 4. Platforms
methods
5. Sensors
4. GW
Management 6. Orbits
7. Resolution
Introduction to Remote Sensing
Remote sensing is obtaining information about an
object from a distance
This is done by sensing and recording reflection or
emitted energy & processing, analyzing, and applying
that information.
Radiation is reflected,
absorbed, and emitted by
the Earth's atmosphere or
surface, as shown by the
figure on the left.
Satellites carry instruments
or sensors that measure
electromagnetic radiation
Electromagnetic
reflected or emitted from
energy
both terrestrial and
atmospheric sources.
With calibrated instruments, scientists can measure
the height, temperature, moisture content (and
more) for nearly every feature of the Earth’s
atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and
biosphere.
The electromagnetic spectrum is simply the full range of wave
frequencies that characterizes solar radiation.
What is the classical example of remote sensing
we all are equipped with?
The process of measurement or acquisition of
information about some object or phenomena by a
recording device which is not in physical or intimate
contact with the object under study.
Is remote sensing
done only with the
use of satellites?
Source of energy – primary need!!
Remote sensing is done not only in the visible light
but also infrared, radar etc.
Remote Sensing - Why??
▪ Acquire information on inaccessible regions where there are no
ground-based surveys – dense forest, ice caps (and their thickness)
etc.
▪ Map agricultural fields for crop type and condition assessment.
▪ Provides data on large areas or regions which can be used by various
stakeholders - A single image captured through remote sensing can
be analyzed and interpreted for use in various applications and
purposes
▪ Locating hurricanes, cyclones etc.
▪ Monitoring river flow paths, shoreline, forests (and deforestation)
and growth of cities.
▪ Monitor water contamination and soil-moisture mapping.
▪ Relatively cheap and constructive method reconstructing a base
map in the absence of detailed land survey methods.
Remote Sensing Platforms
A platform is the vehicle or carrier
for remote sensors.
A platform is needed to hold the
instrument and there are three
types of platforms in Remote
Sensing –
•Ground based platform
•Airborne platforms
•Spaceborne platform
Remote Sensing Platforms
Ground-based platform:
The height of ground-based platform is up to 50 m from the Earth’s
surface.
Examples:
Ground vehicle | Tower | Air balloon | Kite
Airborne platform:
The height of airborne-based platform is above 50 m from the
Earth’s surface.
Examples:
Airplane | High altitude aircraft | Helicopters
Remote Sensing Platforms
Space borne platform:
The height of space-borne platform is usually more than 250 km
from the Earth’s surface.
Examples:
Rocket or space shuttle whose height is 250 to 300 km above from
the Earth surface
Space station whose height is 300 to 400 km
Low level satellite which is also known as polar satellite whose height
is 700 to 1500 km
High level satellites which are also known as geostationary satellites
whose height is 36000 km above the Earth’s surface.
International space
station - height?
NASA’s ISS
[Link]
Remote Sensors
Remote Sensors
Remote sensors record the energy which is reflected from the
Earth (and its objects), based on this energy data objects are
classified. The classification of sensors are as follows:
Passive Sensors: They detect natural energy (radiation) that is
emitted or reflected by the object or area being observed.
Reflected sunlight is the most common source of radiation
measured by passive sensors. E.g., Sun-Earth-Satellite sensor
Active sensors: They transmit their own signal and measure the
energy that is reflected and transmitted back or scattered back
from the target.
E.g., A satellite equipped with radar transponder sends radio
waves and records them when they bounce back from E’s surface
back to the satellite
[Link]
Passive Sensor Active Sensor
Geostationary orbit
▪ Satellites in geostationary orbit circle Earth above the equator from
west to east following Earth’s rotation – taking 23 hours 56 minutes
and 4 seconds – by travelling at the same rate as Earth.
▪ This makes satellites appear to be ‘stationary’ over a fixed position.
Always view the same portion of the Earth’s surface.
▪ The most suitable orbit is at an altitude of about 36,000km.
This allows the satellites to observe and collect information
continuously over specific areas.
Weather and telecommunications satellites commonly have these
types of orbits.
Satellites in geostationary orbits cover a large range of Earth - three
equally-spaced satellites can provide near global coverage - satellite is this
far from Earth, it can cover large sections at once.
Polar orbit
A polar orbit satellite travels north-south over the poles (need not
be exactly crossing the poles, 20-30 deg deviation is still
considered polar) and takes approximately an hour and a half for
a full rotation.
Usually at altitudes between 200-1000km – low Earth orbit.
As a result, a satellite can observe the entire Earth’s surface.
Used for applications such as monitoring crops, forests and
even global security.
Sun-synchronous orbit
Synchronous to being in the same position relative to
the sun.
The satellite always passes the same spot at the same
local solar time.
Sun-synchronous orbits can be polar orbits.
These satellites orbit at an
altitude between 600 to 800
km.
Resolution
Resolution plays a role in how remotely sensed
data can be used.
Resolution can vary depending on the platform's
orbit and instrument design.
There are four types of resolution to consider for
any dataset—
▪ Spatial
▪ Radiometric
▪ Spectral
▪ Temporal
Spatial Resolution
Is the smallest object a sensor will detect on ground …does not mean it
will be recognizable.
The size a single pixel covers on ground.
High spatial resolution means a smaller grid cell size and more
detail. Lower spatial resolution means larger pixel size and less
detail.
By a satellite with spatial resolution of 30m, only objects 30m away can
be distinguished
[Link]
Spatial Resolution
Satellite sensor with 100m resolution Satellite sensor with 10m resolution
will detect a 100m x 100m will detect a 100m x 100m
playground as one single pixel. playground into approximate 100
pixel.
LOW SPATIAL RESOLUTION HIGH SPATIAL RESOLUTION
IMAGE IMAGE
Radiometric Resolution
Radiometric resolution is the sensor's ability to discriminate
differences in energy (or radiance).
The better the radiometric resolution (higher the number)
- the more sensitive the sensor is to small differences in
energy – gives sharper images.
Spectral Resolution
Spectral Resolution determines the amount of information in
satellite imagery based on the number of wavelengths sensed by the
sensor.
Ability of a sensor to define fine wavelength intervals.
Higher spectral resolution – narrow wavelength range of spectral
bands
Lower spectral resolution – wide wavelength range of spectral bands
Typically, multispectral imagery refers to 3 to 10 bands, while
hyperspectral imagery consists of hundreds or thousands of
(narrower) bands (i.e., higher spectral resolution).
Panchromatic is a single broad band that collects a wide range of
wavelengths.
Temporal Resolution
Temporal resolution (revisit time) is the time it takes for a
space-based platform to image the same observation area
(time taken by a satellite to complete one orbit cycle).
E.g., 5 days, 16 days, daily etc.